All nationalities wish to enjoy auspiciousness on New Year’s Day from the old one. Maha Thingyan festival is the most famous, attractive and crowded one among other festivals in all seasons. Myanmar’s Thingyan festival is a tangible cultural heritage of the nation. During the Maha Thingyan festival, people douse each other happily.
Currently, Myanmar era 1384 will come to an end. At the same time, the new Myanmar era 1385 will come. The Maha Thingyan festival will start in Myanmar on the 10th waning of late Tagu 1384 ME (14 April) and finish on the 12th waning of late Tagu 1384 ME (16 April). Afterwards, the 13th waning of early Tagu 1385 ME (17 April) will be Myanmar New Year’s Day.
All Thingyan revellers should not forget the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. Their happy moves must be in line with the health protocol of Covid-19 issued by the Ministry of Health. They all need to take tolerance, patience and compassion among themselves in order to create a happy society in line with the traditions, customs and ethics of relevant regions and ethnicities during the traditional Maha Thingyan period.
People in Myanmar yearly perform various meritorious deeds during the Maha Thingyan festival period with auspiciousness by making donations such as serving the people from four corners of the nation with refreshments, offering meals to members of the Sangha, taking Sabbath, cleansing the Buddha images with water, listening to the Dhamma of the Lord Buddha, initiating themselves into the monkhood, serving senior citizens with bathing and shampooing, paying respect to elder persons and parents, releasing fish into the water as well as cattle into the pastureland.
In fact, the Maha Thingyan festival has been a happy, lovely and pleasant one for years. All participants in the festival need to take care of Myanmar culture. They all have to control themselves to avoid moves of rudeness and careless activities. It is because the Maha Thingyan festival aims to change the old year to the new one in a smooth and happy manner.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture urges the people to join the Maha Thingyan festival with dos and don’ts in society to be free from unacceptable dangers. This year, plans are underway to arrange walking Thingyan activities in Mandalay, Nay Pyi Taw and Yangon on a grand scale. Moreover, the walking Thingyan activities will comprise Thanaka Thingyan, ethnic Thingyan and youth game Thingyan for the happiness of the young and old people.
All Thingyan revellers should not forget the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. Their happy moves must be in line with the health protocol of Covid-19 issued by the Ministry of Health. They all need to take tolerance, patience and compassion among themselves in order to create a happy society in line with the traditions, customs and ethics of relevant regions and ethnicities during the traditional Maha Thingyan period.
